Page 12 of Minx

I ached for this male.

Before I thought twice about it, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his. He gasped and stiffened next to me. Then he softened. Moaned. Growled so possessively that I was encouraged to press on. I licked the bottom of his lips and he opened his mouth. I whimpered, craving so much more but also knowing we were on a public roof—and there were towering buildings all around us–with windows.

And I’d just met him.

Fuck. My brain stopped me just shy of reaching for the hem of his shirt. I pulled back with the pinch of logic I had left.

What had I done? “I–I’m sorry, Grim. I acted on impulse. You were so sweet, and your smell and…shit, I’m sorry.”

He fell back on the ground, landing on his butt. Another low growl emanated from his chest. My belly swirled at the sound. There really was shifter blood in me somewhere because Grim growling had me envisioning stripping his clothes off and doing a whole hell of a lot more than kissing. “Female, don’t you ever apologize to me for that. One more minute of those lips and I would’ve wanted to take you to my room and never let you out.”

I sucked in a breath. “Really? I…haven’t done that before.”

“Kissed someone? You’re telling me that I got to share your first kiss with you?” He scooted closer and by the waist, pulled me back into his lap. Once again, every muscle in my body relaxed. Now, if I could just put him in my pocket, I’d never have to worry about setting the world on fire again.

“Yes. Weirdo, right?” I giggled, trying to make my naivete less serious.

“No,” he said, pushing some of my hair out of my face. “I’m honored. Truly. Can I kiss you this time?”

“Yes.”

Chapter Eleven

The day before, I had missed shifting class and, while I’d thrown a fit about the whole day going to shit, I realized now that it had been a blessing.

Today, I hadn’t been afforded the chance to miss it.

I stood there, listening to the rules about where to run and how to not attack each other. Control the shift. Control your animal.

If you see a human—run.

Grim had gently touched my shoulder as he entered the open field outside the main building, but as the teacher spoke, he, Theron, and Bodhi didn’t mutter a word.

Had Grim told them about what happened between us after dinner? Last night, I had lain awake for hours, reliving the kiss and at the same time, feeling like somehow I had betrayed Theron and Bodhi. I never wanted to hurt them. We barely knew each other and I’d sealed myself to them somehow.

“Alright, everyone. Let’s shift.” I turned my gaze to the ground while everyone shed their clothes without hesitation. Sure there were leering eyes; we were young and virile students after all.

I backed up a few paces, letting the real shifters have some space.

Humiliation flooded me. It had been too easy to hide myself among the humans, pretend that I was one of them. Standing outside the group of those like me, in name only, while they used their supernatural force to phase from human form to a wolf reminded me how I belonged nowhere. Not with the humans.

And now, not even with shifters.

I turned my gaze up to the trees that thrived here, amongst the buildings that triumphed their height. The leaves had begun to turn from green to hues of rust, burgundy, and blood orange. They waved back and forth in the wind as I wrapped my arms around myself.

Now would be a great time for that heat to kick in inside me—minus the freaking out.

Then again, that blitzkrieg of panic had brought Grim to me. Made me feel things I’d never felt in my life but craved more than my next breath.

I might go through it again, voluntarily, if it meant he would touch me again.

I brought my attention back to the scene in front of me, steeling myself for the onslaught of embarrassment. Over the years growing up, my parents had tried to get me to shift a few times and I went along with it, eager to try harder.

Maybe next time, Minx.

It will happen, Minx. Don’t worry.

All in good time.

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